I am assuming that the lamp is going by the piano as I ponder.

So, I think the Art Nouveau lamp is way too frou-frou for the style of the piano. I also wouldn't put a red shade on that lamp.

The second lamp would be okay, but seems too short to be in proportion to the piano's height because of the angle of the shade - and certainly not super-useful if the intention is to provide light for the person playing.

Again, assuming this is to sit by the piano, I don't think I would do a red shade because of the wood tones in the piano being so red. I would be more inclined to a richer deep gold color, perhaps something with some texture like a damask.

Here are some easy viewing links. I guess being CL items, time is of the essence! :)

Lamp 1

Lamp 2

I deleted my response, but will try again :) The lines of first lamp look kind of heavy or bulky to me. So, I guess I'd like to see prettier lines. Although it's not very easy to see it in the pic. I do like the detailing for your room. Maybe it is too ornate for the piano as Les mentioned; not sure. I do question the price, though. $600?? I think $170 is high.

The second lamp I can't see in there at all :(

Obviously, I think a deep burgundy or cabernet ;) shade looks nice! but, true, all reds would not work as Les mentioned. I found myself tweaking the color more for the wall color and overall effect than the piano, though. Your great eye will speak to you as you try them :)

So, I guess I'd say I'm not sold yet :) I guess you've looked new? I wonder about buying used electrical items because charity orgs won't take them. Maybe overly cautious?

I do love that coffee table in there though! Undoubtedly long since gone.

Was checking out the floor lamps ... stopped on only about page 4! and found all these great ones:

Starting with the most interesting of the bunch:

Interesting Lamp

Interesting Lamp

Thought the following lamps were pretty and had potential. A few of the shades looked too small for the lamps, oddly enough. Maybe they can't handle a larger shade? but they look too small to me. I really like the ones with the tortoise shell spheres.

Lamp 1

Lamp 2

Lamp 3

Lamp 4

Lamp 5

Lamp 6

Lamp 7

Lamp 8

Lamp 9

I like the Empire style lamp in your first post, Squirrel. The shade is WAY too small to balance the substantial base. (I'm a sucker for Empire, anyway).

Don't care for the second one.

I just had a floorlamp rewired and since it came from the dump it had no shade. ;) The woman at the local place (that specializes in antique lighting, luckily enough) said most floor lamps never get the shade that is the correct size, because people freak out at the price. I am going to have one made for the lamp in question... the recommended shade size was minimally 18"D, up to 20"D; with shape and mounting height variable.

squirrel: I like the first one your posted plus 1, 4 and 7. The first one was quite similar to the CL one pictured. I agree some of the lamp shades are too small. I also like the thicker pole but nothing too fru-fru. I'm just wondering why are some of the bases so narrow in diameter? I would think a wider base would give it added stability and more visual substance.

Val, I think the bases stay small so that the lamps can get close enough to the furniture. A huge base might preclude the user from placing the lamp close enough to the chair to be useful for reading, for example.

Oh this is funny! Val, the two most interesting of the bunch are interesting because they are your CL finds!! The $600 lamp is only $150 and the other is a Kathy Ireland lamp for ($40 + tax) less.

I thought the prices and styles of the brand new ones out there were great and there's such a selection you could probably find whatever your heart desires. It would seem to me to just get a new one -- esp don't pay the first guy's rent this month! Looking at the rest of the room the $600 lamp is in, $150 would seem more in line with his budget :) Sheesh.

Looking back at 1,4 and 7. Obviously I like them :) but I particularly like the more substantial European looking ones with the three lights that you picked too -- 1 and 7.

You're right, those bases do look proportionately small. Looking at one I have here, the base is wider and looks about right that way, but is flatter in shape, so it could easily slip under a low chair or something.

See:

The CL lamp looks so much better out of its ad! :) I like it very much, without thinking about which lamp actually works best for your room. Here it is with another shade and in some different shades of red:

So, the rush to snap it up now is gone! Maybe he added the $20 on for shipping he'd paid ;)

Here's 'your' lamp with a new shade. I'm trying to bring the other wall in to see the balance of things. Also trying to get something on the walls other than the same darn picture, lol. I really like a round 'clock' there. Ended up with another on the wall, but I think you can get the idea and feel :) There's a wooden music/magazine holder behind the chair now, too.

I do like this reddish shade. It's a smooth silk with some sheen, lol. Firmly planted in my mind from somewhere; kind of a soft ambery color red. I know I've seen it! but the color looks really pretty, I think.

Are you still thinking about the little table you found? It's really charming in there :) and does its duty.

Shade looks "skimpy" to me, you guys. Any shade should clear the light bulbs by AT LEAST 1" (preferably more!). That's to prevent fires and ALSO ( and important) to prolong the life a the lampshade.

I snapped some shots of the lamp I just had rewired. I'll try to remember to organize them when I get the shade made.

PROPORTION is "key"... and it's hard to find good information with good "illustrations" to facilitate the process.

Really? The shade in the last room virtual looks too small? Looks good to me. Please post your pics when you can :)

This is a big larger on the shade and in a deep gold color. I'm also liking the painting over the piano a big larger :)

{{!gwi}}

ok, here's a bit larger still on the shade.

If you care to collect art or photographs, a gallery wall would look really nice on the piano wall, too. Would have to think of the overall balance with the large window wall, also, but it does work well with the accent wall, I think. (Forgive my feeble attempt, but it gets the idea across :)

OK, squirrel, that is too funny! You convinced me, I'm buying new.

On for my next question: When purchasing lamps is it better to purchase all lamps from the same collection for a cohesive look or to view each lamp as unique, like a piece of art, and different from the others?

As for the small pie crust table, alas it is gone. $15 is too good a price and I was not quick enough. There is another set (leather top) available for $35--not as nice as that one, though and about a one hour drive to get it. Though I am still searching--it's that coffee table that I most want right now. Two months searching and I've only seen two for sale on Craigslist--one again was snapped up and the other the seller won't sell until the end of the month (now ad is gone).

Too bad on that table. $15 would've been worth just giving away if it didn't work, lol. At least they're appearing fairly quickly out there.

I would think of the lamps individually, more like art, but picking up on the room. Some of the collections may be individual enough that it wouldn't feel over matched, though. And I can imagine for some, that might feel better and less busy for them. If there's a collection you've seen, post it up :)

Was poking around at the shades just a bit --- whoa are they expensive! More like a lamp.

Lamp shades and picture frames, those items give a lot of sticker shock but they do have such an important role in making things look better than ordinary.

I love the lamp and it's size and detailing.

Very true, MD!

Val, here's another of the lamps you liked, with a lighter profile and the lighter shade it comes with. I've also included a couple closeups of the two posted lamps to see the detailing closer with your furnishings.

I've also cleared the piano, in that some people don't want things on it. And see the beautiful art a lamp can add, with the new curvey one on the side table! You can actually have a lamp shop make them made from a pretty vase you might find.

(The accent wall is just fudged in to give the feel of it there. I've tried to get it pretty accurate as to how it would lay out and feel along the side there, but it still may be off a bit -- esp in that part of it is skewed and part is head-on :)

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here's the tortoise shell one, with the original shade trimmed out and in a deeper red also trimmed.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I like the tortoise shell one the best with the shade that comes with it. I like the lines of the shade. Red does give it that added punch and can always be added later--but for now I'm still focusing on the basics. I also like the table lamp with that collection:

{{!gwi}}

It's different and yet the same. There was a much cheaper one on sale at JC Penny's for $79 (a Tuscan style bronze with a crackle glaze ceramic in a gold/cream); but they were out of stock, though I have one on hold at another store. I looked online but could not find it. I looked at some of the porcelain ones at Lamps Plus, but they are pretty pricy. I liked this one but not the price: http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/Table-Lamps/Style_Traditional/Type_Ceramic!Porcelain/94066/

(BTW, how to I embed the link in my text?)

Since I do have the recessed lights (on dimmers), I'm thinking of putting just one table lamp near the sofa and one floor lamp where you placed it. Where you have the table put near the entry is almost floating in the entry and will be a bit difficult routing the wiring etc. so that cords are not visable--esp. if I go with a smaller 8x10 rug which I am considering for financial reasons. I'm thinking maybe a set of tall candle sticks (like I had put recently on top of the piano) may look good on that other table.

As for the artwork, I like fewer larger pictures. I feel that was my problem in the past my artwork was not large enough. I would like one mantle painting and one painting over the piano (which can even be larger as there is more wall space above the piano than the mantle. Then some grouping of smaller pictures on the other walls. I like the set of four pics you put together to the left of the fireplace and over the ottoman. One other thing with the room is that I plan to put my Christmas tree there as well in which case I would probably put it in the corner with the palm, move the palm out and rearrange the chairs for the season.